Green Cheese
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Green Cheese
Origin / History
An old variety, grown largely in Kentucky and other Southwestern States (Downing). Origin Tennessee, according to Elliott, whose entry is credited to Downing, and Budd & Hansen. Extensively propagated by suckers; the exact place of the original tree is unknown (Downing). Downing calls it "not best in quality," but says it has so many good properties adapting it to the South and Southwest that it is widely disseminated under various names.
Tree
Upright, with young shoots slender and grayish brown. Moderately vigorous (Downing); of rather slow growth (Elliott). Blooms late, a habit Downing says gives it a special value. A good bearer, early and abundant (Elliott). Lowther's station table records it from 7 stations in the Central Division and 6 in the Southern Division. Both counts are marked as adapted to more than one of the three divisions of the American Pomological Society.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Oblate or flat, occasionally oblique; obliquely depressed (Elliott).
Stem: Short and slender; very short (Elliott).
Cavity: Large, broad, deep, russeted, the stalk surrounded by russet.
Calyx: Closed, segments slightly recurved (Downing); partially closed (Elliott).
Basin: Broad, uneven; deep (Downing), shallow (Elliott).
Skin: Pale greenish yellow to yellow, with red on the sunny side (Budd & Hansen).
Dots: Brown, moderately sprinkled over the skin; Elliott has the skin covered with them, Budd & Hansen call them few.
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish white, rather fine (Elliott), tender, delicate (Budd & Hansen), crisp, juicy, rich, with a sprightly or brisk subacid flavor. Quality "very good" (Downing; Lowther's station table).
Core and seeds: Core small, compact.
Season
Winter. November to March, Elliott carrying it to April. A long keeper (Downing).
Uses
Used both for the kitchen and for market (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott gives a separate entry for a "Yellow Crank": medium size, flat, greenish yellow, of high flavor, in season January to March. Downing records that name among those under which Green Cheese was disseminated.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1886–1901) from Alabama, Illinois
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886 — listed as Southern Golden Pippin
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Green Cheese. Winter Cheese, | Turner's Green. Origin, Tennessee. Tree, of rather slow growth, an early and abundant bearer. Fruit, medium, oblate, obliquely depressed ; skin, greenish yellow, covered with brown dots : stalk, very short, in a broad, deep cavity, surrounded by russet ; calyx, partially closed, in a broad, shallow, uneven basin; flesh, rather fine, juicy, with a brisk sub-acid flavor. November to April. (Downing.)
[Additional entry in this volume: "Yellow Crank", pp. 188–188]
Yellow Crank. Medium size, flat, greenish yellow ; high flavor. January to March.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Green Cheem.
Green Cheese. Green Crank. Yellow Crank. Southern Greening. Southern Golden Pippin. Winter Greening. Carolina Greening. Green Skin. Winter Cheese. Turner's Cheese. Greening.
An old variety, grown largely in Kentucky and other Southwestern States. It has been extensively propagated by suckers, but the exact place of the original tree is unknown. Although not best in quality, it has so many good properties adapting it to the South and Southwest, that it is widely disseminated under the various synonyms given above.
Tree moderately vigorous, upright, and has the habit of blooming late, which gives it a special value. A good bearer and long keeper. Young shoots slender, grayish brown.
Fruit medium, oblate, occasionally oblique, pale greenish yellow, moderately sprinkled with brown dots. Stalk short, slender. Cavity large, deep, russeted. Calyx closed. Segments slightly recurved. Basin broad, deep, uneven. Flesh yellowish white, tender, crisp, juicy, rich, sprightly subacid. Core small, compact. Very good. November to March.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Green Cheese. — Origin, Tennessee; an old variety which has been extensively propagated from suckers.
Fruit medium, oblate, occasionally oblique; surface pale greenish yellow, with red on sunny side; dots few, brown; cavity large, deep, russeted; stem short, slender; basin broad, deep, uneven; calyx closed: segments slightly recurved. Core small, compact; flesh yellowish white, tender, delicate, crisp, juicy, rich, sprightly subacid, very good. November to March.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Green Cheese: medium size; flat form; yellow color; very good quality; used for both kitchen and market; winter season. Reported by 7 stations in the Central Division and 6 stations in the Southern Division, with both counts marked by an asterisk indicating the variety is reported as adapted to more than one of the three divisions of the American Pomological Society.